Council of the National Task Force on Anti-money Laundering calls for calm
THE Council of the National Task Force on Anti-money Laundering has appealed for calm from all stakeholders and the public after the much-publicized leaked internal records.
In a statement released by the Chairman of the Council, Central Bank of Eswatini (CBE) Governor, Dr. Phil Mnisi on Friday, the Council has urged all stakeholders to engage the organization openly on the issue which has dominated local and international media space in the last few days.
“Our unwavering commitment to ethical conduct, strict regulations and confidentiality has ensured Eswatini’s smooth integration with global financial systems. We urge all our stakeholders to engage with us openly. We are confident in our ability to fulfil our mandates, working together to safeguard confidential information and ensure the continued strength and integrity of Eswatini’s financial system. This, in turn, protects the Kingdom’s overall economic well-being. We encourage all our stakeholders and the public to remain calm as the relevant structures address the issue of the alleged leaked information,” part of the statement reads.
Mnisi explained the role played by the Council of the National Task Force on Anti-money Laundering in the context of the series of published stories on the alleged leaked information on local and international media platforms.
“The Task force members implement their respective legislative and practical measures to ensure compliance with international and regional Anti-money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism standards,” Mnisi said.
He said the Council consists of:
• Attorney General
• Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Service Regulatory Authority • Commissioner General of the Eswatini Revenue Authority • Commissioner of the Anti-corruption Commission
• National Commissioner of Police • Director, Eswatini Financial Intelligence Unit
• Director of Public Prosecutions • Governor of the Central Bank of Eswatini
• Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Finance
“These institutions combined mandates contribute significantly to safeguarding the integrity of the country’s financial system. As members of the Task Force, we are dedicated to fulfilling our responsibilities with the utmost professionalism, ethical conduct and adherence to both our mandates and internationally recognized best practices.”
He added: “Committed to financial integrity, we operate under strict regulations and international standards to ensure a strong and reliable financial system. We note that some of the published stories on the alleged leaked information imply that there is an inability amongst the institutions mandated to address financial crime in Eswatini, yet its contents, if accurate, confirm the opposite. Public commentators too, who have analyzed these published stories on the alleged leaked information, affirm that these institutions work without interference.”